"Travel is a vanishing act. You move through landscapes and other people's lives much like a ghost, touching some things and being touched by others. And on a few occasions you just sit back and take it all in, maybe even learn something."

Saturday, May 1, 2010

What are yinz thinking/doing???

This post has been a long-time coming. But, I feel the need to get it off my chest after some recent events. Therefore, the title speaks for itself (thought I would throw in some Pittsburghese) and touches on my some thoughts/sentiments for the question "What the heck?" This is a Top 10 list of things I've noticed since moving to the Burgh.

10. Potholes. You kidding me? A small car can get lost in this one...

I realize the city is old, but give me a break. This is not cobblestone...it's an actual street... Do some actual road maintenance and fix it. Yes, that might involve tearing up a section of the road rather than just filling it with the black tar. As you might imagine, these road hazards make road riding a nightmare.9. Sidewalks are created for a reason...to walk on. Don't walk in the middle of the street. Cars aren't necessarily going to stop for you...especially with some of the road rage due to traffic.8. Crossing the road. Yep, you're supposed to do that at intersections. It's the safe option. Refer to #9 for reason why.7. Standing. This too can be done on the sidewalk. If you're waiting for a ride, the bus, etc., or just loitering, then stand on the sidewalk. The road is meant for vehicles and bicycles.6. Speaking of bikes...stop taunting, driving to close to, or throwing things at cyclists. Sarah and I had trash thrown at us the other day on a short ride home from a friend's party. We are talking 0.8 of a mile. Too short of a ride to hassle with motorist stupidity.5 Stop throwing trash! Put it in the trash can. Sarah and I live near a McDonalds. Yep, we can see the golden arches from our front porch. As you can imagine, we get people walking through our complex that leave a litter trail as they head home. But, it's not just our area. I've noticed it in other parts of the Burgh as well. Have a little respect and pride for the city that you live in. Clean up after yourself.4. Dogs...keep them on a leash. #4 stems from an encounter last weekend with a dog that bit me nearing the end of my 10 mile run. Also, there have been a couple of occasions at Frick Park during mountain bike rides when unleashed dogs have been in the way of riders. The dogs get in the way and are a nuissance. Keep them on a leash and you won't have to worry about them getting hit or biting other people.3. Recycling Center...what's that? Okay, so maybe I was spoiled in Lincoln, Nebraska with 22 multi-use centers within the city. And that's for only approximately 200,000 people. In Pittsburgh, there are 2, yes only 2 centers nearby. And they're not 24-hour operations. And they look like this...The city of Pittsburgh I'm sure has bragging rights with a number of sustainable buildings, but the limited recycling centers are disappointing.2. It's called a bike. Yes, and it's another form of transportation. And, yes, we do have a right to the road. Better yet, riding a bike is great exercise while you're getting to your destination. The Pittsburgh traffic is only going to get worse unless they figure out how to get more vehicles off the road. Their bus system is good, but there are alternative options, too...carpooling, subway, light rail, T. Let's expand the T so it goes north up to Cranberry. That would make my commute so much nicer.1. Turn down your thumping car music! Maybe in your teens, it's a cool thing to do. Not when you're in your 20's and 30's. Rule of thumb: When the bass rattles my home, it's too loud. As a matter of fact, when the driver next to you can hear your music, it's too loud. It's a safety issue. You can't hear emergency vehicles, plus it's a distraction.

Okay, that's enough banter for one day. I really needed to post something, since the Snowpocolypse in February was my last blog post. Ride on!